Vehicle frame straightening installation

ABSTRACT

AN INSTALLATION FOR REPAIRING DAMAGED AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE BODIES AND FRAMES COMPRISING A CONCRETE FLOOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOTTED ANCHOR-RAILS EMBEDDED THEREIN FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE OF THE FLOOR AND DISPLACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG PARALLEL LINES ARRANGED PERPENDICULARLY TO EACH OTHER TO DEFINE ONE OR MORE REPAIR BAYS. EACH SLOTTED ANCHOR RAIL IS FORMED OF METALLIC CHANNELING TO DEFINE A SLOT HAVING A CROSS-SECTION OF AN INVERTED T, WHICH PREFERABLY IS CONSTITUTED BY A PAIR OF C-SHAPED ROLLED STEEL CHANNELS WITH THE BASES THEREOF DISPOSED VERTICALLY BACK-TO-BACK TO DEFINE THE STEAM OF THE T, WITH THE UPPER FLANGES THEREOF EXTENDING OUTWARDLY IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENTAL WITH THE SURFACE OF THE FLOOR AND THE LOWER FLANGES THEREOF EMBEDDED IN THE CONCRETE FLOOR, AND A THIRD LARGER UPWARDLY DIRECTED C-SHAPED CHANNEL HAVING THE TOP EDGES THEREOF WELDED TO THE FREE LOWER EDGES OF THE SMALLER CHANNELS. ANCHOR ELEMENT OF FORCE-EXERTING UNITS AS WELL AS ANCHOR MEMBERS FOR FLEXIBLE FORCE-TRANSMITTING LINES ARE ADAPTED TO BE MOVED AND POSITIONED ALONG THE SLOTTED ANCHOR RAILS, AND AN ESPECIALLY RUGGED AND READILY MOVABLE ANCHORING MEMBER MAY BE CONSTITUTED BY A PAIR OF CONGRUOUSLY DISPOSED L-SHAPED PLATES ADAPTED TO BE MOVED WITHIN THE SLOTTED RAIL, INDIVIDUALLY OR IN UNISON. EACH PLATE MAY BE FORMED OF AN APERTURED UPRIGHT PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY JUXTAPOSED WITH THE ADJACENT UPRIGHT PORTION TO DEFINE AN ALIGNED ANCHORING APERTURE NEAR THE TOP THEREOF, AND A LATERAL FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID UPRIGHT PORTION TO ENGAGE THE ANCHOR RAIL AT THE TOP OF THE BASE AND AT THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE VERTICAL STEM OF THE T-SLOT, WHEN THE PLATES ARE JUXTAPOSED, BUT WHICH MAY BE DISENGAGED FROM THE SLOTTED RAIL WHEN THE PLATES ARE LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACED FROM EACH OTHER.

Nov. 30, 1971 b. DINERMAN 3,623,353

VEHICLE FRAME STRAIGHTENING INSTALLATION Filed Oct. 14, 1968 A [4/ f6 INVENTOR mmw 2/ c2 ,4 2 4100 m/aemnn/ United States Patent U.S. Cl. 72-456 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An installation for repairing damaged automotive vehicle bodies and frames comprising a concrete floor having a plurality of slotted anchor-rails embedded therein flush with the surface of the floor and displaced from each other along parallel lines arranged perpendicularly to each other to define one or more repair bays. Each slotted anchor rail is formed of metallic channeling to define a slot having a cross-section of an inverted T, which preferably is constituted by a pair of C-shaped rolled steel channels with the bases thereof disposed vertically back-to-back to define the stem of the T, with the upper flanges thereof extending outwardly in a horizontal plane substantially coincidental with the surface of the floor and the lower flanges thereof embedded in the concrete floor, and a third larger upwardly directed C-shaped channel having the top edges thereof welded to the free lower edges of the smaller channels. Anchor elements of force-exerting units as well as anchor members for flexible force-transmitting lines are adapted to be moved and positioned along the slotted anchor rails, and an especially rugged and readily movable anchoring member may be constituted by a pair of congruously disposed L-shaped plates adapted to be moved within the slotted rail, individually or in unison. Each plate may be formed of an apertured upright portion adapted to be selectively juxtaposed with the adjacent upright portion to define an aligned anchoring aperture near the top thereof, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from the lower end of said upright portion to engage the anchor rail at the top of the base and at the opposite sides of the vertical stem of the T slot, when the plates are juxtaposed, but which may be disengaged from the slotted rail when the plates are longitudinally displaced from each other.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rugged and reliable apparatus and installation for the repair of damaged automobile vehicle bodies and frames which may be economically installed in one or multiple bays of a body-repair establishment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a vehicle body-repairing installation by utilizing standard metallic channel sections of high strength and low cost which is especially economical to install in the case of newly laid concrete flooring in which the rails may be embedded securely.

It is another object of the invention to provide slotted anchor rails which may be arranged in one or more working bays to make possible the rapid and expeditious handling of anchoring members and force exerting devices with maximum safety to working personnel.

It is another object of the invention to provide specially designed anchoring members which may be moved easily from place to place along different positions of the anchor rails and which are adapted to be securely locked therein at any predetermined position and which, at the same time, may be readily moved to alternate positions with great rapidity in order to adapt the anchoring members to different work-performing functions without need 3,523,353 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 for complex and expensive pulling and pushing units,

which, by virtue of its versatility, results directly in more efficient plant operation.

It is the object of the invention to improve upon the body-repair installation and apparatus of the prior art as exemplified by those shown in United States Patents Nos. 2,421,981, June 10, 1947, and 2,836,219, May 27, 1958.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the detailed description of the invention following hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a plan view of a concrete floor lay-out which embodies the structural elements of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrating a different form of anchoring member; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2 illustrating with greater clarity the construction of the slotted anchoring rail in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings is shown a concrete floor F which is preferably poured with the slotted rails in position, so that the same may become embedded within the concrete upon the hardening of the latter. Of course, the invention may be applied to existing floors by grouting out trenches in the floor for the purpose of laying therein the slotted rails, as shown in the drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, which illustrates a single bay for the repair of damaged automobile vehicles, a plurality of rails S1, S2, S3 and S4 are disposed in parallel to each other and are embedded in the concrete floor F so that the top surfaces of the rails are flush with the top surface of the floor F, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Each of the rails is formed of metal channeling having the crosssection of an inverted T. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, these slotted rails may be formed of rolled steel C-channel sections, and as clearly shown in the drawings, a pair of such sections C and C are disposed congruously with the bases or webs 10 and 10' thereof, respectively, disposed vertically in back-to-back relation with the upper flanges 11 and 11' extending outwardly from the bases in a horizontal plane substantially coincidental with the surface of the floor, and the lower arms 12 and 12' thereof extending outwardly within the mass of concrete constituting the floor.

A third C-shaped channel C2 is preferably of larger cross-sectional dimensions from the channels C and C, having a base 14 with flanges 15 and 16 extending upwardly therefrom secured to channels C and C by welding the top edges 15' and 16' of the flanges 15 and 16, respectively, to the free edges of the bottom flanges 12 and 12', respectively. This welded joint is clearly shown in FIG. 6 at W, and results in an integrated assembly which is of great mechanical strength and which is relatively low in cost because the same may be fabricated of standard commercial sections of rolled steel.

The resultant slotted rail may be fabricated in any suitable lengths to adapt them to bays of desired size in dependence upon the size of the vehicles requiring accommodation. For a standard size, the bay should be about twenty-two feet in length, so that in the layout shown in FIG. 1, the rails S1 and S4 may have lengths of approximately eighteen feet, with the displacement between the outer rails S1 and S4 approximately twelve and one-half feet, while the displacement between the inner rails S2 and S3 may be approximately three and one-half feet. In order toaccommodate the position of anchoring members or pulling devices at the ends of the damaged vehicle, additional rails S5 and S6, of a length of approximately eight feet, are disposed centrally of the bay along parallel lines perpendicular to the longitudinal rails and, as stated above, at a displacement of approximately twenty-two feet from each other. The bays may range in size between twenty-five to twenty-seven feet in length and twelve and one-half to fifteen feet in width.

It is obvious that any number of bay may be disposed on the side of each other to increase the capacity of the plant, in which case the end rails S1 and S4 may be common to the next adjacent bay, resulting in an economy of the installation.

The rolled channels C and C may be of standard sections, for example, having a base of three inches with one and one-half inch flanges, and the large channel C2 may have a base of four inches with two inch flanges. If desired keying devices may form a part of the channel rail construction to embed the rails more securely within the concrete and such keying devices may assume the form of concrete reenforcernent rods of approximately one inch in diameter and one foot in length which may be welded to the outer faces of the channels at predetermined displacements, for example, eighteen inches, in transverse or in any other direction, as long as the internal crosssection of the anchor rail is maintained clear for the reception of anchoring members along the slot therein.

'In the drawings is illustrated an especially effective anchor member which may be formed by a pair of L- shaped plates P and P, each having a vertical upright portion and a horizontal flange extending laterally from the bottom of the upright portion, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The combined thickness of the two plates 20 and 20 is slightly less than the width of the vertical slot formed in the anchor rail, so that the two plates with the vertical portions in juxtaposition may be moved in unison to any desired position along the length of the anchor rails. The horizontal flanges 21 engage the top of the base of the slot at the opposite sides of the vertical stem of the T-slot so that they are locked therein without need for any additional fastenings, as shown in FIG. 2. The upper ends of the plates P and P are preferably rounded at 22 and a ciruclar opening 23 is punched in the plate adjacent to the upper end in alignment with a similar opening in plate P, so that when the two plates are in juxtaposed position, an anchoring opening may be formed therein of circular section 23. This opening may accommodate the loop of a chain or other flexible memher, or, as indicated in FIG. 1, a cylindrical cross-bar may be positioned between aligned openings 23 by disposing the bars of anchor plates P and P in alignment between any pair of parallel anchor rails. If openings 23 are slightly more than three inches in diameter, a five foot piece of heavy-duty pipe may be extended between a pair of the anchoring units. This capability of operation is illustrated in dotted lines between the upper portions of slotted rails S1 and S2.

On the other hand, the anchor members 23 may be used individually in any of the rails, as these are shown near the lower ends of anchor rails S3 and S4.

The anchor plates P and P may be formed of sheet steel and these may be ten inches high and five inches wide to impart strength and stability to these parts. The plates may be of one-half inch thickness so that they may be moved in a slot having a width slightly greater than one inch. Likewise, the flanges 21 may be one inch in width at their bases and one inch thick, so that these may engage the arms of the T-slot to withstand the stresses which are imposed upon the plates of the anchor members in their set positions.

As shown in FIG. 3, the congruous plates 20 of each pair of anchor members may be shifted easily longitudinally of each other, as indicated in dotted lines, so that the individual members P and P may be withdrawn from the slotted rail for use elsewhere, and for the resultant safety in the absence of any protruding obstacles which may cause injury to workmen on the floor.

The slotted rails of the invention lend themselves to the attachment of other anchoring devices of all types. One form of anchoring device A is illustrated in FIG. 4, having a vertical member 25 and a base member 26 which is braced by a diagonal member 27. The base 26 may be a two foot length of five inch channel iron, with the upright and brace fabricated of one inch by two inch stock, with the vertical member 25 ranging between three to five feet in height. A retaining member 30 which may be five inches in width, projects downwardly about three inches and is fitted with a flange 31 at the bottom end thereof for engagement with the anchor rail at the base of the vertical slot. The anchor member A may be immobilized by sliding into juxtaposition therewith an anchor rail P to eliminate lateral play or movement of the device.

Another form of anchor member A is illustrated in FIG. 5. This member may have a horizontal plate 36 about a foot in length, fitted with a book 31 for the reception of hooks, chain links or any other device which is used in installations of this type. In this unit the anchoring device is also fitted with a vertical bar 32 terminating in a horizontal flange 33 for engagement with the interior of the slotted rails, and this unit also may be fixed in position by slipping in a plate P into juxtaposition therewith to lock it in place.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for the repair of damaged automotive vehicle bodies and frames, a concrete floor for accommodating anchoring members and force-exerting devices adapted to impose the desired forces at the desired points of the damaged vehicle, and metal channeling forming an anchor-rail embedded in said floor adjacent to the surface thereof with the upper portion of said channeling substam tially flush therewith, to define a hollow inverted T-shaped slot along which components of said members and devices may be moved along the stem of the T and hooked therein for retention within the arms of the T, at any desired position, said metal channeling comprising a pair of congruously disposed C-shaped structural steel channels having the webs thereof disposed vertically back-to-back, spaced from each other to define the stem of the T, the upper flanges thereof extending outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane substantially coincidental with the surface of the floor and the lower flanges thereof embedded in the concrete floor, with a third upwardly directed C-shaped structural channel larger than said first-mentioned channels integrally joined thereto by welding the top free edges of the third channel to the free lower edge of each said first-mentioned C-shaped channels.

2. In combination with a slotted anchor-rail embedded in a concrete floor and fitted with bearing surfaces on the interior of the rail at the opposite sides of said slot, a movable anchoring device adapted to be shifted along said anchor-rail, said device comprising a pair of juxtaposed L shaped anchor members, each formed of an apertured upright portion in contact with the adjacent upright portion, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from the lower end of said upright portion, said members adapted to be positioned in congruous relation with said upright portions in juxtaposed position, the combined thickness of said upright portions being slightly less than the width of the slot in the anchor-rail to permit the movement of the device along the anchor rail but preventing withdrawal thereof.

3. In combination with a slotted anchor-rail embedded in a concrete floor and fitted with bearing surfaces on the interior of the rail at the opposite sides of said slot, a movable anchoring device adapted to be shifted along said anchor-rail, said device comprising a pair of juxtaposed L- shaped anchor members, each formed of an apertured upright portion in contact with the adjacent upright portion, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from the lower end of said upright portion, said members adapted to be positioned in congruous relation with said upright portions in juxtaposed position, the combined thickness of said upright portions being slightly less than the width of the slot in the anchor-rail to permit the movement of the device along the anchor rail but preventing withdrawal thereof, until each member is withdrawn individually by the relative separation of the two members and the withdrawal of the flanges through the slot.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the upper end of each apertured portion of each L-shaped member is rounded with the aperture therebelow being of circular outline to form conjointly an anchoring opening of circular cross-section.

5. In an apparatus for the repair of damaged automotive vehicle bodies and frames, a concrete floor for accommodating anchoring members and force-exerting devices adapted to impose the desired forces at the desired points of the damaged vehicle, and metal channeling forming an anchor-rail embedded in said floor adjacent to the surface thereof with the upper portion of said channeling substantially flush therewith, to define a hollow inverted T- shaped slot along which components of said members and devices may be moved along the stem of the T and hooked therein for retention within the arms of hte T, at any desired position, said anchoring members and force-exerting devices movably mounted within said T-shaped slot and including a device comprising a pair of juxtaposed L-shaped anchor members, each formed of an apertured upright portion in contact with the adjacent upright portion, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from the lower end of said upright portion, said members adapted to be positioned in congruous relation with said upright portions in juxtaposed position, the combined thickness of said upright portions being slightly less than the width of the slot in the anchor-rail to permit the movement of the device along the anchor rail but preventing withdrawal thereof.

6. An apparatus as set forth forth in claim 1, including an anchoring device movably mounted between the bases of the first-mentioned pair of channels and within the third channel, said device comprising a pair of juxtaposed L-shaped anchor members, each formed of an apertured upright portion in contact with the adjacent upright portion, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from the 55 lower end of said upright portion, said members adapted to be positioned in congruous relation with said upright portions in juxtaposed position, the combined thickness of said upright portions being slightly less than the width of the vertical siot in the anchor-rail to permit the movement of the device along the anchor rail but preventing withdrawal thereof, until each member is withdrawn individually by the separation of the two members by relative longitudinal movement and the withdrawal of the flanges through the slot.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said L-shaped anchor members is of a sufficiently small width relative to the width of the slot in the anchor rail, and the lateral flange is of sufficiently small length, to permit its individual withdrawal from the slot following the relative separation of the two members and the tilting thereof to clear the passage of the flange therethrough.

8. In an apparatus for the repair of damaged automotive vehicle bodies and frames, a concrete floor for accommodating anchoring members and force-exerting devices adapted to impose the desired forces at the desired points of the damaged vehicle, and metal channeling forming an anchor-rail embedded in said floor adjacent to the surface thereof with the upper portion of said channeling substantially flush therewith, said metal channeling comprising at least a pair of congruously disposed C-shaped channel members with the webs thereof spaced from each other to define a slot, and the upper flange of each extending outwardly from the upper edge of each web substantially flush with the floor, and the lower flange of each extending outwardly from the lower edge of each web and forming part of an enlarged chamber in the floor to define a hollow inverted T-shaped slot along which components of said members and devices may be moved along the, stem of the T and hooked therein for retention within the arms of the T, at any desired position.

References @ited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,414 11/1917 Widmer 52707 1,281,416 10/1918 Pratt 52-707 2,952,947 9/1960 White 52704 2,785,842 3/1957 Phelps 52707 2,627,295 2/1953 Jackson 72302 2,836,219 5/1958 Pertner 72705 X 2,421,981 6/1947 Becker 72705 X 1,785,923 12/1930 Wade 72705 X 3,452,575 7/1969 Williams 72705 X 3,457,767 7/1969 Surber 72705 2,140,686 12/1938 Bennett 72705 X CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner M. J. KEENAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 72705; 52-707 

